Mannin Mainthar Iyakkam Vs the State Election… — Writ and Judicial Review | Madras HC (2026)

Mannin Mainthar Iyakkam Vs the State Election… — Writ and Judicial Review | Madras HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

None; the writ petition was closed as the 2022 elections had already been completed, with liberty to challenge any future reservation in the manner known to law. No order as to costs; connected miscellaneous petition closed.

Issue for consideration

Whether the impugned G.O(MS)Nos.10, 11 and 12 dated 17.01.2022 issued by the second respondent are illegal and arbitrary for not following the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes reservation policy (18 + 1) laid down in Article 243(T) of the Constitution, the Tamil Nadu District Municipalities Act, 1920 and the 1996 Delimitation and Reservation Rules, warranting their quashing and the issuance of fresh G.Os. +1 more

Ratio / Principle

Since the urban local body elections had already been completed in 2022, no further direction was required in the writ petition; neither fresh G.Os nor reservation of Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi Corporations for Scheduled Castes in the 2022 elections could now be ordered. The court expressed no view on the validity of the impugned G.Os or the reservation policy.

Key takeaways

The writ petition is closed, with liberty granted to the petitioner to challenge any such reservation if made in the future, in the manner known to law.ratio¶35
There shall be no order as to costs, and the connected Miscellaneous Petition (W.M.P(MD)No.1388 of 2022) is closed.ratio¶40

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Mannin Mainthar Iyakkam v. State Election Commissioner — Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, 09.04.2026 (Coram: N. Sathish Kumar and M. Jothiraman, JJ.; order of the Court made by N. Sathish Kumar, J.). Writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution challenging G.O(MS)Nos.10, 11 and 12, all dated 17.01.2022, issued by the second respondent (Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Tamil Nadu), seeking their quashing as illegal and arbitrary, issuance of fresh G.Os following the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes reservation policy (18 + 1) under Article 243(T) of the Constitution, the Tamil Nadu District Municipalities Act, 1920 and the Tamil Nadu Town Panchayats, Municipalities and Corporations (Delimitation of wards or Division and reservations) Rule 1996, and reservation of Tirunelveli Corporation and Thoothukudi Corporation for Scheduled Castes in the Urban Local Bodies Election 2022. Held: the elections had already been completed in 2022; no further direction was required; the writ petition was closed with liberty to the petitioner to challenge any such reservation if made in the future, in the manner known to law; no order as to costs; connected W.M.P(MD)No.1388 of 2022 closed. The court did not adjudicate the legality of the impugned G.Os or the reservation allocation.

W.P(MD)No.1595 of 2022

BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT

DATED : 09.04.2026

CORAM:

THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE N.SATHISH KUMAR and THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE M.JOTHIRAMAN

W.P(MD)No.1595 of 2022 and

W.M.P(MD)No.1388 of 2022

Mannin Mainthar Iyakkam, Represented by its State Organizer, Maamallan Tha.Kanagamuthu, No.44/4 Kalakkandi Muthiah Kudumban Illam, Kambar Palli Street, Seelayampampatti, Theni Taluk, Theni District. ... Petitioner

vs.

1.The State Election Commissioner, Tamil Nadu State Election Commission, No.208/2, Jawaharlal Nehru Road, Coimbedu, Chennai - 600 106.

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2.The Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Tamil Nadu, Municipal Administration, Urban Water Supply (Election) Department, St.Fort. George, Secretariat, Chennai - 600 009.

W.P(MD)No.1595 of 2022

3.The Director, Municipal Administration, Urban Water Supply Department, Chennai-28.

4.The Commissioner, Town Panchayats, Chennai-28. ... Respondents

PRAYER : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying for issuance of a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus to call for the records of the pertaining to the impugned G.O(MS)No.10 dated 17.01.2022, G.O(MS)No.11 dated 17.01.2022 and G.O(MS)No.12 dated 17.01.2022 issued by the second respondent, and quash the same as illegal and arbitrary and consequently direct the second respondent to issue fresh G.O's and to be follow rule of Scheduled Casts and Scheduled Tribes reservation policy 18 + 1 laid down in Article 243(T) of the constitution of India, Tamil Nadu District Municipalities Act, 1920 and Tamil Nadu Town Panchayats, Municipalities and Corporations (Delimitation of wards or Division and reservations) Rule 1996 in Municipal Corporations, Municipalities and

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W.P(MD)No.1595 of 2022

Town Panchayats in Tamil Nadu and direct the second respondent to reserve Tirunelveli Corporation and Thoothukudi Corporation for Scheduled Caste in forthcoming Urban Local Bodies Election 2022 within the time stipulated by this Court.

For Petitioner : Mr.A.D.Ganesha Moorthi For Respondents : Mr.C.Bala Murugan (R1)

: Mr.M.Ajmal Khan (R2 to R4) Additional Advocate General Assisted by Mr.J.Ashok Additional Government Pleader

ORDER

(Order of the Court was made by N.SATHISH KUMAR, J.)

The petitioner has filed the present Writ Petition challenging the impugned G.O.(Ms)No.10 dated 17.01.2022, G.O.(Ms) No.11 dated 17.01.2022, and G.O.(Ms)No.12 dated 17.01.2022 issued by the second respondent, and consequently seeking a direction to the second respondent to issue fresh Government Orders by following the rule of reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (18 + 1) as laid down under Article

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W.P(MD)No.1595 of 2022

243(T) of the Constitution of India, the Tamil Nadu District Municipalities Act, 1920, and the Tamil Nadu Town Panchayats, Municipalities and Corporations (Delimitation of Wards or Division and Reservation) Rules, 1996, in respect of Municipal Corporations, Municipalities, and Town Panchayats in Tamil Nadu, and further to direct the second respondent to reserve Tirunelveli Corporation and Thoothukudi Corporation for Scheduled Castes in the Urban Local Bodies Elections, 2022, within the time stipulated by this Court.

2.Admittedly, the elections have already been completed in the

year 2022.

3.In view of the above, no further direction is required in this

Writ Petition.

4.Accordingly, this Writ Petition is closed. If any such reservation is made in the future, liberty is granted to the petitioner to

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W.P(MD)No.1595 of 2022

challenge the same in the manner known to law. There shall be no order as to

costs. Consequently, connected Miscellaneous Petition is closed.

[N.S.K.,J.] [M.J.R.,J.] 09.04.2026

NCC : Yes / No Index : Yes / No Internet : Yes ps

To

1.The State Election Commissioner, Tamil Nadu State Election Commission, No.208/2, Jawaharlal Nehru Road, Coimbedu, Chennai - 600 106.

2.The Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Tamil Nadu, Municipal Administration, Urban Water Supply (Election) Department, St.Fort. George, Secretariat, Chennai - 600 009.

3.The Director, Municipal Administration, Urban Water Supply Department, Chennai-28.

4.The Commissioner, Town Panchayats, Chennai-28.

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W.P(MD)No.1595 of 2022

N.SATHISH KUMAR, J. and M.JOTHIRAMAN, J.

ps

W.P(MD)No.1595 of 2022

09.04.2026

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